The Heaven's Shine Down: New East Ave Boutique Opens

I get so excited when I see something fresh happen for Rochester fashion! Savvy shoppers out there NEED to check out EYE CANDY on East Ave ( http://www.eye-candyclothing.com/ ).

Opened by graphic designer Nadine Hall of Penfield, Eye Candy has bold, simplistic atmosphere. The walls are bright and colorful, allowing the clothing to take centerstage against them. The music was quirky in that indypop way that make you want to nod your head to the beat while you shop. I must also add, when I went in the heat was ON and I heartily appreciate the warmth when I'm standing in the dressing room in my underwear!

Best of all, Nadine was attentive without imposing that irky obligation that you MUST buy what you opt to try on. Therefore, I purchased!! Yes and I wholeheartedly plan to spend a nice chunk of my next paycheck on the Recession denim that I tried on but could not afford this week.

Oh, you know we are all checking the pricetags, holding our breath, at places like this. FEAR NOT for the little black dress for under $100 is with you. Clothing options included a sundry of pieces for under $100 and a few just over. Men's clothes, naturally ran a little higher, but the basic tops for men and woman alike were $40-$50. The men's section was fitted with some decent outerwear; the woman's was not. (I did find this peculiar. And you know I love my jackets.) Instead, the woman's had a feisty show of holiday dresses and pieces that can be mixed and matched. Is this tactic a sign of inexperienced buying or a smartly targeting the demographic? I'm prone to think the former, but time shall tell. Time shall tell.

Recession denim, currently at Eye Candy (Pics from Jeans.com/RecessionDenim). Penguin shirt, below (pic from http://www.originalpenguin.com/Shirts).

Start with Structure

Whether its building a house, a haircut or an outfit, STRUCTURE is the first step. With clinging jersey knits continuing to gain popularity, this art principle continues ring true.

Here are some suggestions sure to structure the body better in your latest trendy outfit:

1. Express Lined Camisoles

Love handles- you just cannot have them. Express lined camisoles are long lasting and have superb spandex, making anyone's flab a bit firmer. And, they can easily be tucked in and keep you insulated in the winter.

2. Control Top Pantyhose

When an ensemble does not work with the camisole, shear control top pantyhose do the trick, even under dress pants and jeans. Hanes makes a great version that make you forget you even put them on, Hanes Barely There. These target both the love handles and a less than perfect behind. 

3. Leggings

Tunics. T-shirt dresses. Legging Jeans. Legging Dress Pants. Capri Length. Calf-length. Full length. Everywhere we turn there are legging. A good rule of thumb: if born before 1970 and/or weigh more than 150, leggings are not for you. Middle aged women tend to look stuck in a past decade and ladies beyond a thin frame tend to look unkempt donning this popular trend.

Leggings are comfortable, casual or dressy and relatively inexpensive to replace. But in this case, do yourself a favor: ONLY purchase leggings of quality material that is not transparent. IF purchasing legging  jeans , be aware that only a unisex long, lean body type ever looks spectacular in them. When it comes to legging dress pants, a little spandex goes a long way. Finally, these pants are NEVER to be worn with natural waist shirts (think fingertips and longer). For some dresses, consider replacing leggings with solid black tights.

I have a love/hate feeling about leggings. They've been so good to me, but they can never be a part of a professional office wardrobe. And, as the babydoll shape fades out of popularity, it's to be expected that leggings will finally be replaced by fabulous tights. On the other hand, the eighties trend continues to carry on the skinny pants/legging styling. So, stay on the lookout for more professional versions and be prepared to spend a little extra to get a cut and quality that make your body look its best.

Featured: American Apparel Leggings. Photo from store.americanapparel.net

Spring 2010 Sees Bold Bursts of Orange

The Spring 2010 runway has already revealed that orange, borderline-lipstick-red is a common color being used by designers. This trend lends itself, although is not limited to, the tribal theme emerging among the New York designers.

(Left to right, top to bottom: Luella, BCBG Max Azria, Phillip Lim, Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Paul Smith Woman. Photography from style.com )

More Shoulder, Please

To the relief of woman with petite shoulders everywhere, the Spring 2010 Pret-a-Porter Runway is choc full of shoulder emphasis...a welcome contrast after the last year of cocoon wrapped outerwear! Have a peak:

 

 

Top to Bottom: Nicole Miller, Oscar de la Renta, Temperly London, Oscar de la Renta
(Photos from style.com)

An Online Steal

I can't tell you the countless number of times that I have filled up an online shopping cart, just to walk away from my computer. Not this time... if you love designer clothing and a good bargain, check out http://www.giltfuse.com/invite/galdieriandrea . As always, enjoy the treasure hunt!

(I'm eagerly awaiting the French Connection sale, just three days away.)

Fashion Week

Fashion week was this past week. Will be posting trend analysis and opinions soon! To start getting some ideas of your own, I recommend style.com . It's a thorough site that even posts backstage pictures of hair and makeup.

Thread Fashion Show

Things were happening at the Thread Fashion Show this past Saturday. I went for the evening backstage, as a stylist, and thoroughly relished in the 1940s glory of the hair.

Things were smooth sailing. The music was hot, the models were spunky and I am pretty sure every person in the room (guy and girl included) walked away with a crush in the austere model Brandon Boyer. The clothes?? I am sure a few ladies fell in love with the red riding jacket, as well. Fall classic!

Next year, I would love to see this show in a venue with a bit more panache. And, it would be great if some other local vendors were involved. More clothes would prolong the length of the show and that was one area for improvement.

(Photographs Courtesy of Mike Ford)